Video, Media & You

My blog will be about what I see going on in the media (movies, politics, current events that affect us all,) in the video editing industry, what is important to you my readers, what is important to me (Faith, Family, & Friends), and an occasional rant.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Have you ever thought life was just really tough and at every corner it seems as though you get punched one more time just below the belt. Well this is how my luck seems to always be heading.

Last December my wife and I were in an accident. We were sitting at a stop light and were rear-ended. Well to date I have had to have shoulder surgery, my neck I have been told is to bad to fix, this is comforting. My wife just had neck surgery eight weeks ago. To top it all off the guy that hit us insurance company thinks that it is impossible that we could be hurt this bad.

They refused to fix my truck, although they did give me a check to fix my bumper. I just got my truck back from the frame shop and Chubb (the at-fault insurance company)said, their was no damage to my truck, well I just had a $1300.00 repair bill. That was to repair my frame and front springs.

The most fun from this accident is now we daily get phone calls from collection agencies wanting money that I do not have from an accident that was not my fault. I guess we are going to have to hire an attorney to litigate for us you want to do what is right and you get pushed around because you are a little guy and Chubb just does not care.

I think to date my wife and I have had near to $100,000 of medical repairs to our bodies and we need to somehow come up with $6,150 to meet our deductible for our private health insurance. To top this off we had initially seen a chiropractor and after our medical payments coverage expired we found out they do not accept our health insurance so I just received a bill from them last week for $4,200. We just found a Dr. in Florida that might be able to fix my neck but I have to come up with another $500, when will it end.

Between Chubb and Scott Petroleum how much more being punched below the belt can one family take. I am sure that Chubb is going to do all it can not to pay and Scott Petroleum Inc. owes me today in excess of $200,000 plus interest which I know I will never see, if they would have a change of heart and pay this would enable my wife and I to purchase another home, get my new start-up business "Bear Production Company" off the ground, and pay off all my bills.

We do have one thing going for us though we love Jesus Christ and when it seems the gloomiest for us he picks us up and carries us in his loving arms.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

I guess the situation with illegal immigrations is not a problem until someone in your family is killed. The thinking of making illegals legal will make them all tax payers is funny, this is assuming that all illegals are working, and not as the article written about in the Phoenix paper suggest that a good portion of the illegal activity is drug activity, then I guess you then would have to make drugs legal, then rape legal, then murder legal, then all crime legal....when does it stop, when do you put your foot down and say enough is enough.

If you really want to do something about illegals then our Government leaders needs to abolish the IRS and put in its place the Fair Tax (consumable tax) then all of the illegals when they buy anything at the stores will be paying taxes. The only people that would get tax credits under the fair tax would be legal citizens, I guess you would weed them out naturally without having to do anything else........

I see in the news daily in our region of the United States on our local news programming in Omaha NE huge trouble with gangs and especially Mexican gangs, daily we are having shootings, drugs, rapes, murders, and tagging. I personally have no problem with anyone coming to this great country but shouldn't they do it legally. Why should they get to cut in line just because someone snuck across either border. They are called illegal because they broke our Federal Laws, and why is it necessary for a State to pass a Law that the Federal Government should already be taking care of and enforcing.

Here is the fundamental flaw with the reaction of our friends on the Liberal side, if you try to sneak into Mexico if caught you will be imprisoned. So why do our liberal friends cry out and pull the race card if we were to do the same thing here in the U.S. The sole reason for our liberal friends to pander to the illegals is they are wanting more election support and the problem is not effecting any of them personally. Let one of their family members get killed, harassed, raped,and then we will see the shoe on the other foot.

Again, I think that we could solve this problem without much effort on our parts by simply passing the Fair Tax. This would ensure that all people living in the United States were Tax Payers. Another unseen benefit of the Fair Tax is bringing back jobs to the United States. If corporations paid no taxes and goods could be purchased 23% less wouldn't you move your company back to the U.S., it would be cheaper to operate thus your profits would be greater. And you would soon see our unemployment numbers drop to unseen levels historically.

I also think that Arizona is getting a bum rap by the liberal media, and liberals in general. I am putting out a call for people to visit the state of Arizona and spend some of your hard earned money and help them out. If I could financially I would go and see the Grand Canyon something on my bucket list. Something to think about visit Arizona.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I will go ahead and say it right out front in my opinion this movie is a dog. I gave this movie two thumbs down or 1 star rating.I suppose if you are into drugs, bad acting, and the bizarre then this might be your movie pick. I can't believe I actually sat through the movie, actually I left the room and came back in and it still didn't get any better.

I thought with the cast it might be interesting but this definitely not the case, please pass on this movie. I have read many reviews about how great this movie and the director are but to me way to bizarre. For example, one scene Nicholas Cage is in a room stoned out of his mind and he is just starring at a couple of iguanas then they go into this bizarre music, no dialogue just show close ups of the lizard. Not my cup of tea people. Just say no to this type of movie, please.

"No Greater Love," my wife and I really enjoyed this movie, a movie about life, love, hope, and coming together. I gave this movie a rating of two thumbs up or 5 stars. One thing I might add as in most Christian movies at first they seem to drag and even in some parts their is a slowness but if you analyse the entire movie then if you enjoy family movies as I do then you will appreciate this movie.

The story begins with a young couple having a intense argument, the husband is busy making or creating a business and the wife is drowning after having recently had a son. Next the movie moves to present day ten years later with a father raising a ten year old son on his own. By fate, I like to think God's Divine plan they by chance meet the long lost mother at a vacation Bible school.

After the wife left she had several years of drugs, and alcohol troubles and then she found our Lord, Jesus Christ, and her life was changed forever. After everyone realizes that they have found each other they try and put the pieces back together. I will let you find out for yourself the ending by watching the movie. I hope that you find you have enjoyed the movie as much as my wife and I enjoyed watching. This is exactly the type of movies I hope to one day produce and direct under Bear Production Company.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Today will be a big shocker to most of you out there that read this blog, I think that their is definitely a case for media bias. When I went to college we were taught in Journalism classes that the reporter is to be neutral only report the facts and let those facts fall where they may, otherwise you are editorializing.

Most reporters today can not hide their feelings on any issues. I believe this is one of the major reasons that subscriptions have fallen in every major news outlet. But to me it still seems as the powers that be still do not get it, that the problem is how they disseminate the news.

Take a case in point most people did not like the way that the Health Care bill was shoved down our throats, sneaky like and behind the scenes with dirty deals made for its passage. The last numbers I had seen still said 50+% still did not favor the bill and that 79% of those people polled did not trust the current people in Congress.

Instead our media tried daily to make a case why the Health Care reform bill was necessary. Here in lies the problem had they been doing their jobs they would have been reporting both sides good and bad of the bill. Had this occurred an overwhelming majority of the people would have either been for or against this legislation.

I think it should have been the duty of our media to go through all the pages of this bill line by line and tell the American public what was in the bill. Also the media should have reported every dollar that was spent to get this bill to pass. This is what the American people deserve and should have gotten. I think the media has a chance to get it right on Cap & Trade but I think the writing is on the wall and no matter what this President does the media thinks he walks on water and can do no wrong.

I can not figure out for the life of me why if a Congressman on one side or the other does not lay down and except what the other side is doing no matter how it conflicts with his/her own principals they are being an obstructionist. Is this not why they were elected and sent to Washington. This is what our media should be reporting the reasons why one side or the other is not in favor of the bill. I think the media needs to remember the basics; who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Come on Media lets start doing our jobs and remember we want to know ALL the News not just your side of the reporting. Maybe this is the reason for the success of Fox News, yes they have editorials but they also try and report the hard news down the middle and this is why the majority of the public tunes in they just want to see the news not someones version of the news.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

I am going to review a movie that both my wife and I loved, "Belle and the Beast: A Christian Romance." We gave this movie a two Thumbs up or 5 Stars. To me this is the kind of movie that should be made. The building of a true love without anyone taking off their clothes what a novel concept.

This movie is based on Beauty and the Beast a fairy tale written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont. To me what more can be said, a movie that the whole family can watch without having someone turn their head or leave the room. This is the kind of movies that one day I hope to make, something for everyone in the house that everyone can enjoy as a family together.

I will tell you that the acting was in the beginning was slow and not to Hollywood standards but by the first quarter of movie the acting got much better and was pretty good through the rest of the movie. By the end of the movie they had put together a good family friendly movie, that I will watch again.

The cast is: Stephanie Wood; Matthew Davis; Everest Bishop; Lindsay Wellington; D. Susan Luty; Arne Carter; Elizabeth Joelle and directed by BJ Alexander. Finally this movie was produced by WisenQuest Production. One day you all out there reading this blog will be watching a movie produced by Bear Production Company thinking that I am glad their are still companies making movies for the family.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

I believe this is a sad day for all Americans when the Government is going to saddle all Americans with an unbelievable burden for our Country. I think we need to go back and re-examine all views and pass a bill that is pleasing to both sides. I have heard it said time and time again that we have asked the other side to work with us on the bill but what I have seen is you can work on the bill as long as this is what we are working on, no true working and compromising for both sides. I seen this morning a staggering statistic that I think is how most Americans feel about our current Govt. it is broke and we need to fix that, 79% of the American people feel our Govt. is broke and they are not willing to listen to us on what we are sending them to office to do.

Since the current Administration and Congress have come to power they have taken over the financial sector, auto industry, and now looks to be the health care industry. Next thing we will be told as Americans where we can worship, how much we can make, how we are to live, what kind of jobs we may do, this to me sounds like some of our communist friends not the America that I served so proudly in the USN.

I think it is time to go back,roll up our sleeves write a bill that is sensible not 1000 plus pages, our Constitution is not a thousand plus pages and it has served us well, it is time for every person in Congress to take there hand out of the cookie jar and instead of thinking what can this bill do for me and my longevity here in D.C., you all should be thinking what can I accomplish for my people that I swore an oath to serve. I also believe it is time to leave the pork to the right people our farmers, butchers, and consumers.

I have told many of my friends that I have no faith in either party and I was embarrassed the way the republicans acted when they are in charge and spent every dollar they could find to spend, and we never learn because we have done it all over again. Please stop spending money that isn't there to spend. A few years ago my wife and I got into trouble with credit cards mostly because of me (cards I got from College) so we paid off what we could worked out arrangements on others and now we only use a debit card, so if their is no money in the bank we don't spend. This has worked for us for the last 10 years, I think our Govt. needs to take on some of the same thinking if no money in the bank we don't spend.

So I am asking you not to do what is right for your party, but do what is right for those of us here back in the Heartland. You come up with a bill that does not have all the pork in it that truly addresses the problems and is written in such a manner that is kept simple and short I will be the first in line to support you, and our President. I don't care about parties I just want things to get done and done for the people not for one party or the other stop all the infighting. If you all truly wanted to get something done take a small sample from each state (no lawyers) and listen to what we think should be in the bill. I think you will find you will have something at that time that is worth making a law.

In closing sir do what is right for Iowa, not what is right for your party. I sent this to all our leaders from Iowa. Let me know what you think, How do you all feel about D.C. right now.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Today was a busy day for us in our household, our daughter was home and wanted to go shopping for a bedroom. Even though my wife and I still do not feel well she drug us around until she found the bed and dresser that she wanted to buy. While on this trek my wife and I had to take many breaks trying out the recliner in the stores,for me wishing I had time to take a nap. Finally, I had enough shopping, I was spent and I slept in our 1993 Isuzu Trooper in the parking lot till they finished the bedroom purchase, Thank God for the Trooper and the recliners.

Afterward we all decided to go and see the new Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler film, "The Bounty Hunter." Despite the negative criticism of the movie we decided to go and watch the movie anyway. And of course in our opinion we feel the professionals got it wrong, we enjoyed the movie and did not find it hard to believe the relationship of Gerard Butler and Jennifer Anistion. We rated the movie a Thumbs up or a 3 3/4 stars.

Milo Boyd(Gerard Butler) is an ex-cop and currently is a licensed bounty hunter that goes after people who jump bail. Nicole Hurly is a reporter tracking down the story of her life but after failing to appear to her court date a bench warrant is issued for her arrest and guess who's bail bondman has the bond, Milo's. The fun begins when Milo accepts the job to arrest Nicole his ex-wife. The two one up each other until they are forced to work together to solve the murder and much more...

Sometimes I wonder if these professional critics are watching the same movies as I have just watched. I guess just going to the movies to enjoy the movie isn't enough anymore we have to be political, negative, vulgar, or F bombs are the criteria for making of a good movie or maybe even a Academy Award winning movie. When we go to the movies, and it is not a lot, we want to be entertained this is our criteria, that's it, just be entertained at the movie.

Go and check out the movie for yourself you might find as we did the critics got it wrong again. This movie was directed by Andy Tennant, and the Cast are as follows: Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston, Christine Baranski, Jason Sudeikis, Natalie Morales. From my family and Bear Production Company think about giving, "The Bounty Hunter" a try, you might even find yourself laughing and isn't that what going to the movies is all about.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Today I am going to review a coming of age movie with a Rock & Roll twist, "Bandslam." I gave this movie a two Thumbs up or 5 star rating. If you liked the movie, "That thing you Do!" then you will love "Bandslam."

I think one of the reasons I loved this movie is because of the quality and the care the director put into making the music the story and the characters part of that story. All the characters in the movie actually preformed the parts and played the instruments that they played in the movie. The director said in an interview, "I hired musicians that could act." Todd Graff wrote and directed "Bandslam."

The cast in the movie are:Alyson Michalka, Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Hudgens, Lisa Kudrow, Charlie Saxton, Tim Jo, Scott Porter, Ryan Donowho, Elvy Yost, Lisa Chung (links to Netflix and other movies the cast has stared in.) I really liked the part played by Gaelan Connell and he reminds me of a young Tom Hanks, John Cusack or Anthony Michael Hall leading men now that played dorks, geeks, nerds, whatever when they were kid actors, I think keep an eye on him in the future. The parts played by both of the lead actresses Charlotte (Alyson Michalka) and Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens) were done extremely well.

What can I say, I enjoyed the movie when my wife and I watched in the theatre and we loved it when we watched it at home. The initial reason we watched the movie the first time is our teenage daughter, the reason to watch a second time is the music. I say do yourself a favor and give this movie a try you might find that you really like the movie.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Today I am going to review two of the newest animated release out to DVD as of this past Tuesday. One I really enjoyed the other was Okay.

First I will review AstroBoy, I gave this movie a partial Thumbs up or 3 stars. For me the story was slow. I think AstroBoy will be very popular with young boys. Although I felt the subject matter a little deep and political. The cast of voices in the movie do a great job I guess this just was not my type of movie.

The next movie I reviewed was, "The Princess and the Frog" wow what a difference in movies. I gave this movie two Thumbs up or 5 stars. To tell you the truth I was not looking forward to watching this movie, I guess I was not sure that Disney could top or even compete with some of their other Princess movies, but I am here to tell you not only do they compete but I think this movie is as good if not better that the old stand-by traditional Princess movies. Disney also decided to go back to traditional animations and yes they actually drew this film by hand, Bravo Disney.

To me some of the funniest scenes in the movie are the Cajun Creole animals in the movie once the two main characters were turned into frogs. I have not seen a movie in a while that shows New Orleans flavor and does the city justice more that this movie. I think this is a much watch and the entire family will enjoy watching, "The Princess and the Frog" together, and isn't this what movies are for the whole family being able to enjoy together.

Enjoy watching movies as much as my wife and I enjoy watching movies, listen to the critics and then make up your own mind. From, Bear Production Company, we will see you at my next review or blog.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I just watched and enjoyed, "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" I gave this movie a Thumbs up or 4 stars. I find Marc Lawrence the writer and director to be funny and he has worked with Hugh Grant before in, "Two Weeks Notice." The premise of the movie is Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and his wife Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) are having marital problems. Meryl is an high end exclusive Real Estate agent in New York City, and Paul is a High Power Attorney both owning their own companies, have to go into witness protection and adapt to life in rural Wyoming.

The two are separated and decide to meet for dinner, the dinner goes well while walking to an appointment of Meryl's they witness a murder and are put into witness relocation program. This is where the hilarity begins a fish out of water story, the two are big city people and have never been to the country. They are skirted off in a U.S. Marshall's plan for an unknown destination, which turns out to be Ray Wyoming.

As you can guess the two are forced to deal with and work through their issues mainly Paul's infidelity, and begin to fall in love all over again. In Ray they meet the ultimate cowboy and the U.S. Marshal that is charged with protecting them played by Sam Elliott and his wife played by Mary Steenburgen.

My wife and I enjoyed the movie and hope that you all will enjoy the movie as much as we enjoyed watching this movie for the second time (we had first seen the movie in the theatres.)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Have you thought lately that the colors in your videos are not what they were when you first bought the camera? Well you are probably right if you have not been white balancing your camera.

Most manufactures recommend you white balance prior to every use. You might be saying to yourself that this sounds really hard to do and I am not sure if I can do it, well let me help you through this process.

First you get out a plain white piece of paper and hold in front of the cameras lens. Next you need to find the switch, button, or in you menu that allows you to go into white balance mode. This process will only take a few seconds, after this process is completed you will notice a substantial change in the quality of the colors in your videos.

But if you have a newer more modern camera then the manufactures have made it much easier for you because they have an auto white balance feature built into the camera. Although they still have a manual white balance mode and I would recommend using every three or four uses to ensure the best and brightest videos. Now get out there and film like a professional!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Have you ever wondered after filming an event you go home and you find that it seems as though the camera was constantly moving or wobbling. Well you were right if you have your Video Camera in auto focus mode, what happens it that your lens is never really ever sure what you are shooting so what it does to compensate is focus back and forth between the farthest thing in your frame in the background and the closest thing in foreground.

How do I fix this, well this is easy first take your camera out of auto mode and put into manual mode, and yes this will require that you have to do a little extra work but in the end you will be happy that you have taken the time to do this. Then find the furthest thing in what will be the background of you shot and focus in on (focus the lens) that item. After completing this you will find that you can easily move your zoom in and out without having to refocus and the next time you review what you have filmed you will not see the wobble.

Good luck from Bear Production Company and Good filming. Now get out there and don't be afraid to film your next big event.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Today's blog will be about another new release that I have just watched with my wife, "The Time Traveler's Wife." For us we gave the movie a partial Thumbs up or a 3 Star rating.

I thought the story was interesting but the movie moved along slowly and at sometimes a little bit creepy. I suppose I should explain this part when the Henry DeTamble (Eric Bana) goes back in time and meets his future wife Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams) and continues to meet her throughout her childhood, teenage, young adult portion of her life, or could you say he loved her so much that his time travel was back to her during different stages of her life.

It turns into a nice love story with a lot of angst but the wife learns to live with the quirkiness of his unexpected time travel. At the end of the movie both my wife and I said "interesting not sure I would watch the movie again", and believe you me we watch movies over and over again if we enjoy them. So I would say, "if your looking for a chick flick for your wife and you don't mind the movie moving on slowly then this is not a bad pick".

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Well I have been up for an hour, my shoulder is killing, my back is screaming, and my neck isn't to far behind that. Today I thought I would try to get out a blog so that I might be able to get my mind off some of the pain.

Today I thought I would review "Up In The Air." My wife and I enjoyed it although we felt the movie started out a little slow, the movie had a brief scene of nudity so for this reason I would not recommend as a family movie to watch. After this brief nude scene the movie goes back to what movies did in yesteryear and let you see or imagine the relationship build physically but not going there which they could have easily done. I give this movie a Thumbs up or 4 Stars.

The movies premise is Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) tough skinned, has in my opinion one of the worst jobs a person could have, he is a professional hammer (fires people for companies too afraid to fire their own employees.) This is a job I would never want to have but Ryan does his job well with grace and in the long run makes most of the people he fires feel as though this is a time for a new opportunity in their lives. The plot and Ryan change when he meets another fellow business traveler Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) through his relationship with her loses some of his hard heartiness.

Ryan is also dealing with the possibility of losing his job to technology when a young brash recent college graduate proposes to Ryan's boss that she could reduce company cost by bringing home the hammers and firing people remotely via the Internet. Ryan shows this young upstart and his boss how can she preform if she can't even fire him in a mock firing. This begins a professional relationship between Ryan and Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick.) Again through this relationship Ryan again finds himself losing some of his tough demeanor.

Overall a good movie and incorporates good plot building. Right now with the unemployment crisis in the United States a timely movie and my wife and I feel this is probably one of the reasons for this movies big success and Academy Award nomination. I don't think you will go wrong by watching this movie, just a little slow out of the gate the Plane terminal that is. For those of you in Omaha this is Ryan's home base, you get to see some of downtown and of course Eppley airfield in Omaha, and Omaha is mentioned frequently in the movie.